Women's Golf

Tsai Leads No. 9 WashU on Day 1 of NCAA Championship

May 14, 2019

Houston, Texas, May 14, 2019 – Freshman Lydia Tsai celebrated her 19th birthday with a 2-over 74 to lead the No. 9-ranked Washington University in St. Louis women's golf team on day one of the 2019 NCAA Division III National Championships Tuesday at Bay Oaks Country Club in Houston.

WashU is tied for 10th place with No. 7 Rhodes College after an opening round 319. The Bears are 13 shots behind first place and No. 11 University of Redlands.

Tsai fired a 1-over par 39 on the first nine holes, and then caught fire on the back with back-to-back birdies on No. 6 and No. 7 en route to a 1-under 35. She sits a in a three-way tie for third place after day one, and is three shots off the lead.

Baily Plourde of Centre College has the individual lead after an opening round one-under 71.

"It was a team effort today and good to get the first round under our belt. To get those nerves taken care of and see where we stack up and move forward," said WashU first-year head coach Mary Swanson.

Senior Chloe DiPetrillo and freshman Julia Dai sit in a 10-way tie for 39rd place after an opening round 7-over 79. Junior Emily Carnes fired an 87 on day one and is tied for 87th place, while senior Sabrina Ho shot a 91 and is in a seven-way tie for 102nd place.

WashU is scheduled to tee off Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. on hole 10, and are paired with No. 8 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and No. 17 Washington & Lee.